Do you have a gym buddy? When I first started out on my fitness journey, I had a gym buddy called Deano. I’ll be forever grateful for his help and guidance. He’s an expert in this field and he not only got me into shape, he changed my mindset. A mindset that I still use today.

Health and fitness (in my humble opinion) is all about routine and consistency. Plan your week and stick to it. So plan your meals and plan your gym sessions. If you don’t, you’ll be tempted to miss out on that gym routine and grab a takeaway!

Right now, I’m in a pretty good place. I’ve just had a slow walk into Durham with my Mrs and the dog. It’s great to clear your head sometimes and talk about the week so far. We’ve both given ourselves a motivational talk to get back on it as it was my Birthday on the 15th of September. 37 this year! Let’s say I had a fair few days of over-indulgence. I don’t regret any of it, I never do. I think that’s why I’ve been able to stick to my habits as I’m not so strict.

My gym buddy since January 2016 has been Stu, I’ve mentioned him a few times in some previous posts. He’s an ex Royal Marine Commando so lets say his routines can be pretty hard core! I’ve twisted his arm to start his own blog so I’ll be sure to let you know when it’s up and running. It’s been great training with him this year and I hope to continue it for many months to come. I’d say throughout 2013 I pretty much trained all year by myself and believe me, it was tough. 2014 and 2015 I had the odd training partner but nothing serious. People would come and go and that’s fine but it’s been great to have a like minded person with me lately.

This year has been different and I much prefer it. Firstly, you have the safety aspect. You can lift that little bit heavier and push yourself that little bit harder because you have someone there to keep an eye on you. Then you have targets or goals. Everyone has them but when you have someone who is that little bit stronger and/or faster, it helps motivate you. I think Stu will always be that bit fitter than me though because he’s a machine, haha! If you’re a gym goer, you may need to get the help of a personal trainer. I personally know one and some of the results I’ve seen from him are amazing. Remember to take your before photos and measurements too before started any health and fitness journey.

For the past four months or so I’ve been incorporating the Slendertone Connect into my gym routine. It’s been great and really easy to use. The system tones, tracks and motivates. If you don’t have a gym buddy, Slendertone can definitely help you in that department. The kit comes with a fantastic mobile coaching app. Sessions can be controlled via the iPhone app or the controller in your belt. The app is really easy to use which was music to my ears! I’ve really enjoyed using Slendertone in my routine and will continue to do so as my core definitely feels stronger than it did a few months ago.

Speaking of core training, I’ve recently been climbing with my gym buddy Stu at Durham Climbing Centre. It’s rope free so I think that’s classed as bouldering? Anyway, I’ve been a handful of times and I’ve really enjoyed it. My hands, arms and core have been put through their paces that’s for sure. I’ve really enjoyed the challenge too and I think I’m slowly getting over my fear of heights! This is something I think has been passed on by my parents! Stu’s little girl recently had a Birthday party at the climbing centre and the kids loved it! If you’re from the Durham area, check it out and if not, I can highly recommend adding climbing into your routine.

I hope there’s something you can take from this post. Checkout Slendertone, consider climbing and train safe. Grab a gym buddy if you can as it definitely helps.